For nearly 35 years, Ronald McDonald House Orange County has aimed to provide solace and respite for families of children who are undergoing medical treatments at local hospitals.
Thanks to the recent completion of a two-year, $15.7 million expansion project, the facility will now be able to serve twice the amount of families each year and offer them more help and resources than ever before.
Located just steps from the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, the revamped 30,000-square-foot Ronald McDonald House now offers 44 guest rooms, new spaces such as a sensory room and a hair salon and spa, and places to receive support services, including pet therapy.
A grand reopening celebration featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, remarks by the organization’s representatives and tours was held Saturday, Aug. 31, to mark the newest era in the home’s evolution.
“Our mission has always been to care for mom and dad so they can better care for their child,” said Noel Burcelis, executive director. “Everything that we created was guided by the needs expressed by the families, and our newer space will give us the capacity to really address those needs and provide those services.”
Since 1989, the house in Orange County has aimed to serve as a “home away from home” where families and caretakers of children receiving medical treatment in Orange County can rest and refresh as they focus on their child’s health, organizers said.
In addition to lodging, the facility also offers guests meals, 24-hour transportation, emotional support resources, and more. Families are asked for a $10-per-day donation, but no one is turned away because of lack of funds, organizers said.
Prior to the renovation, the house contained 20 guest rooms and was often filled to capacity, Burcelis said.
The demand for services led the organization to consider expanding the house, Burcelis said, and in 2019 a fundraising campaign was launched to cover the work.
More than 300 donors, including local McDonald’s franchise owners, contributed, Burcelis said, raising more than $15 million for the project.
Although the building was closed during construction, the organization continued to help families by providing them with meals, transportation and hotel stays, he added.
Today, the house boasts 24 new family units, doubling its capacity, and allowing it to serve more than 5,000 families annually compared to 2,500 before the renovation.
The pre-existing parts of the home have been upgraded to match the new construction, Burcelis said, so that the end result is a fresh, cohesive design that feels like one big “home.”
Each room is sponsored by a donor and, as a thank-you for their ongoing support, an entire wing has been dedicated in honor of local McDonald’s operators, organizers said.
The house has also been equipped with new amenities requested by families and those who serve them, including the calming sensory room, an expanded kitchen, a hair salon and spa, and spaces where families can receive support services in a private setting.
For added communication, the organization has also launched an app to make guests aware of the services and events coming to the house on a daily basis, Burcelis said.
As Ronald McDonald House Orange County prepares to celebrate its 35th anniversary in November, Burcelis said the organization is excited to embark on a new era of service to families and caretakers.
“We’re grateful to be able to now serve even more families,” he said, “with a place to stay and find comfort during the most challenging period of their lives.”
For more information or to donate to ongoing needs, visit: rmhcsc.org/orangecounty
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